Aspergers; a Tale of a Social Misfit

Posted by Andrew Friesen | Friday July 19, 2013

As a tool to promote awareness of Aspergers, Tale of a Social Misfit is invaluable.

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Aspergers; a Tale of a Social Misfit is a quick, entertaining standup comedy routine from 27-year-old Winnipeger Adam Schwartz.

Schwartz has a high-functioning form of autism called Asperger's syndrome, which affects his ability to read social cues and communicate with others. But after trying his hand at comedy five years ago, he found that telling jokes helped him deal with his symptoms.

Schwartz's experiences with Asperger's prove to be a surprisingly deep well of comedy. By deftly pointing out the humour in his challenges, he allows the audience to connect with his story and consider what it really means to live with the disorder.

Jokes that veer too far away from his own personal experiences tend to fall flat, but as a tool to promote awareness of Aspergers, Tale of a Social Misfit is invaluable.

One thing to keep in mind when buying tickets or planning your Fringe schedule: the set is listed as lasting 45 minutes, but the show I attended lasted barely a half hour.